The Research Development Core (RDC) will exist in a rich milieu of support with a base of operation in the Aging Center at Duke University which has conducted successful clinical and basic studies, evaluating older Americans with chronic diseases and associated functional impairments. The RDC will capitalize upon the Aging Center's ability to support strong basic research, as well as our strength of integrating such findings into multi-disciplinary research studies focusing on chronic health problems of older Americans. Thus, these two strengths will allow us to link mechanistic research to outcomes research. Two strong faculty members are proposed for support by the Junior Faculty Development mechanism. Three pilot projects are proposed involving primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of functional disabilities. The Duke Pepper RDC has a rich history. One of our former junior faculty members, Dr. Stephanie Studenski, is currently principle investigator of the Pepper OAIC Center at the University of the University of Kansas. Two of our junior facility development awardees: Dr. Helen Hoeing and Dr. Virginia Kraus, are submitting intervention development studies as part of the Pepper OAIC application. Furthermore, we have supported 28 junior faculty members through the Research Development Core, of whom 70% are academic physicians. A major portion of training for awardees of the Research Development Core will come from interactions with mentors; however, there will be extensive didactic learning opportunities through weekly seminars, course work, distinguished lecture series and a summer retreat.